Hammer.



H. H. PREY. HAMMER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1913.

1,125,999. Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

WITNESSES [NVEN T 0R W flelzz yfl way UNTTED %TATE% PATET FFliQEO HENRY H. EREY, OE NEWTON, KANSAS.

HAMMER.

Application filed May 1, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY H. FREY, citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county of Harvey and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hammers, of which the following is a specification, reference be ing had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a nail extractor, and the principal object of the invention is to provide the nail extractor with an improved type of fulcrum which is so mounted that it covers the pawls carried by the extractor and which may be adjusted to permit nails of varying length to be withdrawn without being bent.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the device that the various parts will fit closely together, and the pawls protected from exposure.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing :Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hammer provided with the improved fulcrum. Fig. 2 is aview showing the hammer and fulcrum in longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the fulcrum. Fig. 4: is a perspective of one of the pawls used to hold the fulcrum in an adjusted position.

The nail extractor illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprises a hammer 10 of the claw type which is mounted upon a handle 11, and which has its side faces provided with longitudinally extending undercut grooves 12. Openings 13 are formed in the hammer intermediate the length of the grooves 12 and form pockets in which pawls 14. are pivotally mounted upon pins 15. These pawls are each provided with a cut-out portion 16 and springs 17 are mounted upon the pins 15 within the openings 16 to normally hold the pawls in an adjusted position as shown in Fig. 2. A fulcrum shown in Fig. 3 has its arms 18 slidably mounted in the undercut grooves 12 and are provided upon their inner faces with cross grooves forming teeth 19 which are engaged by the teeth 20 of the pawls 14, thus permitting the fulcrum to be held in an adjusted position. Screws 21 are passed through the slots 22 in the arms 18 and have Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

Serial in. 764,888.

their inner ends screwed into the threaded openings 23 of the pawls so that the pawls may be forced inwardly to permit the fulcrum to be moved in the slot without the teeth 20 of the pawls engaging the teeth 19 of the fulcrum. The arms 18 are substantially dove-tailed in cross section as shown in Fig. 3 so that the arms will be prevented from spreading. This prevents any danger of the arms being forced out of the slots when the hammer is being used to withdraw a nail. The head 24 of the fulcrum is provided with a sharpened lip 25 which lip extends toward the claw of the hammer and will thus be in the proper position to bite into the wood and thus prevent the hammer from slipping when the nail is being extracted.

/Vhen this device is in use the fulcrum is drawn outwardly as far as desired, the extent to which it is drawn out being regulated according to the size of the nail which it is desired to extract. A gage is formed upon one of the arms 18 so that with a little practice it can be readily determined how far to withdraw the fulcrum for different size nails. The nail 26 is engaged by the claws of the hammer, and the hammer is then rocked upon the fulcrum, thus causing the claw portion of the hammer to have a substantially vertical movement, thus causing the nail to be withdrawn without being bent. As soon as the nail is withdrawn the screws 21 may be pushed inwardly and the fulcrum moved to its inner position where it will cover the pawls and prevent them from being injured or caused'to get out of order. If the lip 25 needs sharpening the screws 21 can be removed and after compressing the pawls with the fingers the fulcrum can be entirely removed from the hammer and the lip sharpened.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

1. A hammer comprising a head, said head provided with a dove-tailed groove formed upon each side, a U-shaped fulcrum carried by said head, said fulcrum comprising a head having laterally extending arms, said arms slidably mounted within said grooves, a plurality of teeth integral with the inner surface of said arms, said head provided with elongated openings communicating with said grooves, a pawl positioned within each of said openings, each pawl comprising a body tapering toward its forward end and terminating in a rib, each pawl provided with a central pocket in its rear end, a pivot pin passing through the rear end of each pawl and through the pocket formed therein, a coil spring carried by said pin within said pocket, said spring bearing upon said head and said pawl, whereby the forward end of each pawl will be urged outwardly, thereby holding said ribs in engagement with the teeth formed upon said arms, thereby holding said fulcrum in a set position, and means for moving said pawls from engagement with said teeth for allowing said fulcrum to be moved.

2. A hammer comprising a head, said head provided with a clove-tailed groove formed upon each side, a U-shaped fulcrum carried by said head, said fulcrum comprising a head having laterally extending arms, said arms slidablymounted within said grooves, a plurality of teeth integral with the inner surface of said arms, said head provided with elongated openings communicating with said grooves, a pawl positioned within each of said openings, each pawl comprising a body tapering toward its forward end and terminating in an outwardly extending rib, each pawl provided with a central pocket in its rear end, a pivot pin passing through the rear end of each pawl and through the pocket formed therein, a coil spring carried by said pin within said pocket, said spring bearing upon said head and said pawl, whereby the forward end of each pawl will be urged outwardly, thereby holding said ribs in engagement with the teeth formed upon said arms, thereby holding said fulcrum in a set position, said arms provided with longitudinally extending slots, screws passing through said slots and detachably engaging said ribs of said pawls whereby said ribs may be moved from engagement with said arms thereby allowing said fulcrum to be moved.

3. A hammer comprising a head having a dove-tailedgroove upon each side, said head provided with elongated openings communicating with the inner portions of said grooves, spring actuating pawls positioned within said openings, a U-shaped fulcrum siidably movable within said grooves, said fulcrum provided with internal teeth, said fulcrum also provided with longitudinally extending slots communicating with said teeth, screws carried by said pawls and extending outwardly through said slots, said pawls being adapted to engage said teeth for holding the fulcrum in a set position, said screws being adapted to move said pmvls from engagement with said teeth for allo ing the fulcrum to be moved when de sired, said fulcrum fitting over the pawls for protecting the same.

at. A hammer.comprising a head, a U-' shaped fulcrum slidably mounted thereon, spring pressed pawls carried by said head, said U-shaped fulcrum provided with teeth upon the under faces of each arm, each pawl provided with laterally extending outer ends adapted to engage the teeth of said fulcrum for holding said fulcrum in a set position, said fulcrumprovided with longitudinally extending slots, a pin secured to said laterally extending end of each pawl and passing through said slots in said fulcrum for facilitating the releasing of said pawls from said fulcrum and allowing said ful crum to be adjusted upon said head.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY H. FREY. Witnesses:

JOHN OLINGER, E1210 SUDERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

